The weekend of October 25 to 27 was a beautiful one for art lovers who converged on Alpha One, Eko Atlantic, Victoria Island, Lagos for the Impart Artists Fair that fused technology with the incredible talents of African artists.
Curated by Hana Omilani, Founder and Director of Lasmara Arts Consultancy, the fair themed ‘Arts meet Tech’ sought to promote African artists and raise the value of African art.
The setting was unique as works by established, and emerging artists rubbed shoulders in the tastefully decorated and expansive exhibition hall. Ato Arinze, Roanna Tella, Kobina Nyarko, Haneefah Adam, Mark Noina and Salwa Mohammed amongst others all showed during the Fair.
Explaining the beginnings of the show, Omilani, an Eritrean married to a Nigerian, said: “Over the years, we’ve been working on different projects, including exhibitions and auctions. However, in the past year, we felt that there was a big gap in this African market. I felt that artists were doing a lot from their side and covering some areas that in any other environment should not be theirs. I felt that African artists were doing almost everything, the production, the marketing and the sales. So, I felt the responsibility to create a platform to promote that. Impart Artist Fair is the first platform we are creating to promote African artists and raise the value of African art.”
Apart from contemporary artworks, the Fair also featured immersive technology like virtual and augmented reality that enabled guests and enthusiasts to enjoy art in a more experiential way. From soundless discussion panels to screening on virtual reality, technology was an integral part.